08: Expansion Cards and System Interfaces

IT1206 – Computer Systems

Level I - Semester 1

© 2020 e-Learning Centre, UCSC

 Sub Topics

1. Expansion slots
1. PCI
2. ISA
3. AGP
2. Expansion cards
1. Graphics accelerator card
2. Sound card
3. Network card
4. TV and Video capture card
5. USB card and USB Hub
6. Fire-wire card

© 2020 e-Learning Centre, UCSC 3

 Sub Topics

3. Interfaces
1. IDE with Master-slave setting
2. SATA
3. SCSI
4. Standard Serial and Parallel port
5. Universal serial bus
6. Fire-wire

© 2020 e-Learning Centre, UCSC 4

 PC Motherboard

• Please watch this video to understand key components of

a PC Motherboard.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b2pd3Y6aBag

Image Source – “PowerCert Animated Videos” youtube video on “Motherboards Explained”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b2pd3Y6aBag

© 2020 e-Learning Centre, UCSC 5

 Help Note

• You can search for online video materials such as YouTube

videos for these topics.
• You will be able to find materials in your native language.

The Photo in this slide by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-SA-NC

© 2020 e-Learning Centre, UCSC 6

 8.1 Expansion Slots

• In a typical PC motherboard there are sockets which we can

plug additional hardware units to extend the
functionalities of the PC.
• These pluggable hardware units are typically referred as
expansion cards.
• Sound Card
• Graphics Accelerator Card
• Network Card
• The sockets that are used to plug these expansion cards are
called “Expansion Slots”.
- PCI - ISA - AGP

© 2020 e-Learning Centre, UCSC 77

 Bus Architecture

• Common bus architecture

is given in this figure.

Image Source – Wikipedia article on “Northbridge (computing)” © 2020 e-Learning Centre, UCSC 8
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Northbridge_(computing)
 8.1.1 PCI Slot

• PCI stands for Pheripharal Component Interconnect

• PCI standard was introduced in 1990s
• It’s a hybrid standard of ISA and VL-Bus (earlier buses)
• Compatible exapansion cards can be plugged

Three 5-volt 32-bit PCI expansion slots on a motherboard

Image Source – Wikipedia article on “Peripheral Component Interconnect”
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peripheral_Component_Interconnect
© 2020 e-Learning Centre, UCSC 9
 8.1.2 ISA Slot

• ISA stands for Industry Standard Architecture

• Slots in 8 bit and 16 bit were available
• PCI was introduced as a successor standard (ISA was much
slower in data transmission)
• ISA is no longer in use

Five 16-bit and one 8-bit ISA slots on a motherboard.

Image Source – Wikipedia article on “Industry Standard Architecture” © 2020 e-Learning Centre, UCSC 10
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Industry_Standard_Architecture
 8.1.3 AGP Slot

• AGP stands for Accelerated Graphic Port

• An improved version of PCI to cater the requirement of
accelerated graphic processing
• AGP was gradually replaced by PCI-Express slot which is
more advanced version of graphics processing

A
G
P

PCI

AGP Slot on a motherboard

© 2020 e-Learning Centre, UCSC 11
Image Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:AGP_slot_highlighted_on_Soyo_SY-7VBA133_mainboard.jpg
 8.2 Expansion Cards

• An eletronic circuit unit that builts into a circuit board and

can be inserted into an expansion slot on a motherboard is
referred to as an Exapansion Card.
• Expansion cards can be installed and removed according to
the requirements.
• Ex.
• Sound Card
• Network Card

© 2020 e-Learning Centre, UCSC 12

 8.2.1 Graphics Accelerator Cards

• These cards are inserted into PCI, AGP or PCI-Express slots

• Graphics processing involves with computationally
intensive operations. Thus, that burden is transferred to
Graphics Accelerator unit while CPU handling general
computational operations.
• Modern graphics cards have its own processor and RAM

© 2020 e-Learning Centre, UCSC 13

 8.2.2 Sound Cards

• Sound card manipulate audio signals

• It uses Digital-to-Analog converter to transfer digital audio
form to analog signals that can be issued through
speackers.
• Similarly, Analog-to-Digital coverter is used to transfer
analog form of a signal to digital form that can be
represented in a computational form.

Image Source – Wikipedia article on “Sound card” A sound card for PCI bus 14
© 2020 e-Learning Centre, UCSC
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sound_card
 8.2.3 Network Card

• Network card assists the host computer to communicate

with an external devise through network connectivity.
• There can be wired and wireless network cards that
facilitate wired and wireless network connectivity.
• Through a network connectivity, a computer can access
shared resources, communicate with external entities, etc.
• https://simple.wikipedia.org/wiki/Network_card
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Network_interface_controller

© 2020 e-Learning Centre, UCSC 15

 8.2.4 TV and Video Capture Card

• These cards allows a computer to receive television signals.

As a result, a user can watch TV programs in a computer.
• Video capture feature allows the computer to record TV
programs.
• Sometimes, these TV cards can be used with FM radio
frequencies. Thus, a user can listen to FM radio channels.

© 2020 e-Learning Centre, UCSC 16

 8.2.5 USB Card and USB Hub

• USB stands for Universal Serial Bus

• In order to add one or more USB sockets to the computer,
a USB card can be plugged into an expansion socket.
• Many devises can be connected via
USB interfaces.
• Mouse/ Keyboard
• Printer/ Scanner
• Camera

A four USB 2.0 socket expansion card for PCI

© 2020 e-Learning Centre, UCSC

Image Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USB 17
 8.2.6 Fire-wire card

• Fire-wire is an interface standard which was introduced for

faster data transfer.
• Fire-wire card allows a Fire-wire device or peripheral to be
connected to a computer.
• The Fire-wire cable supplies the electricity to the device it is
connected with. Thus, a devise with moderate power
requirement can operate without a separate power supply.

© 2020 e-Learning Centre, UCSC 18

 8.3 Interfaces

• In communication, interface is an electronic circuit that

allows sending and receiving data according to a well
defined standard.
• There are different types of communication interfaces are
available in a computer.
• IDE
• SATA
• Network Interface
• USB

© 2020 e-Learning Centre, UCSC 19

 8.3.1 IDE

• IDE stands for Integrated Drive Electronics and it is formally

called the AT Attachment (ATA) interface.
• Commonly used to connect Hard Disks and CD/DVD drives
to the motherboard.
• Three main components
• Devise with IDE interface
• IDE Connector
• IDE Socket
Two IDE interface
IDE connector on a motherboard
(IDE ribbon)
Image Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parallel_ATA
© 2020 e-Learning Centre, UCSC 20
 8.3.1 IDE (Cont.)

• A single IDE interface and a connector can connect two

devices to a computer. In such configuration, one device is
designated as primary (or master), and the other device is
designated as secondary (or slave).
• Typically, desktop motherboards came with two IDE
sockets. Each socket can connect can connect two devises
with master-slave configuration.

© 2020 e-Learning Centre, UCSC 21

 8.3.1 IDE Master-Slave Configuration

• Following figure depicts master-slave configuration of

devises using a IDE connector.
• Jumper settings at the devise help to determine the master
and slave devises connected to a IDE ribbon.
Primary
IDE socket
Primary IDE Connector
Secondary
IDE socket

Secondary IDE Connector

Primary Secondary
(master) (slave)
Devise Devise
Motherboard

© 2020 e-Learning Centre, UCSC 22

 8.3.2 SATA

• SATA stands for Serial ATA which was introduced as a

efficient data transfer compared to ATA (IDE).
• No master/slave configurations and hence easier to use.
With all these benefits, SATA replaced the use of IDE (ATA)
from desktop computers.

Seven pin SATA connector

Image Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Serial_ATA

© 2020 e-Learning Centre, UCSC 23
 8.3.3 SCSI

• SCSI stands for Small Computer System Interface.

• SCSI is an older technology compared to IDE and SATA. But
it is still in use for some of the advantages it has over other
technologies.
• There are different variants of SCSI and Serial Attached
SCSI (SAS) is regarded as a norm for data centres due to
higher data rate, reliability and simplicity.

© 2020 e-Learning Centre, UCSC 24

 8.3.4 Standard Serial and Parallel port

• Both Serial and Parallel ports are old fashioned ports that
are non-existent in modern computers.
• Serial port was used to connect modems, terminal and
other peripherals.
• Parallel port was used to connect printers.

Parallel Port Serial Port Connector

Image Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parallel_port

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Serial_port © 2020 e-Learning Centre, UCSC 25
 8.3.5 Universal serial bus

• USB stands for Universal Serial Bus.

• USB has mainly replaced the use of Serial and Parallel ports
from computers and many other interface types are being
replaced due to fast, reliable and simple use.
• Allows plug & play for many devices.
• Watch the video USB Ports, Cables, Types, & Connectors
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pIZREjck9jg

© 2020 e-Learning Centre, UCSC 26

 8.3.6 Fire-wire

• The IEEE 1394 standard is commonly known as Fire-wire. It

was introduced to faster and realiable data transfer.
• The connector cable carries both power and data that
allows devices to operate without a separate power supply.
• Fire-wire was popular among multimedia community due
to its extremely faster data transfer which enables
connecting audio/video devices to a computer.

© 2020 e-Learning Centre, UCSC 27

 External References

• Expansion Cards [YouTube]

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5wmBu7f5PCs

© 2020 e-Learning Centre, UCSC

© 2020 e-Learning Centre, UCSC 28